Matching Misfits
by storygirl1015
Summary: Because of what they are, they are deemed outcasts by society. A mutant and an anti-social psychic could never belong, except maybe with each other. And with the help of their Pokemon friends, they may just find acceptance.


**Okay, so, I'm not really sure where the idea to write this story came from, but the more I turned it over in my mind, the more interesting it seemed. So I hope you'll all enjoy it. But if you don't please remember to be courteous by not sending in rude flames or hurtful criticisms about how I suck at writing. Those are very disrespectful and it really gets me fired up, but not in the good way…**

**On another note, lots of friendly feedback or some sentimentally sweet reviews would be very much appreciated. *smiles brightly* Okay? Good! Now, without further ado, let's start this story up, shall we?**

**I don't own Pokémon and am in no way affiliated with the franchise…**

**Summary**: A young girl is kidnapped from her home in Johto and brought to the Sinnoh region as an experiment by Team Galactic. After being subjected to years of torment at their cruel hands, she escapes to freedom, and is taken in after being found unconscious in the forest by a troubled young loner with a dark secret of his own. Can she finally find true happiness and acceptance now that she's been given the chance, or will tragedy strike once again, ripping her apart from her only source of solace and leaving her completely broken… for good?

* * *

Lightning flashed and thunder boomed overhead, rain pounded hard against the muddy ground and the sounds of a heated chase broke the peaceful silence of the otherwise still forest. A young girl, no more than fifteen, ran for her life through the dense underbrush, hitting low-hanging branches and nearly stumbling over tree roots and rocks along the way. She was utterly exhausted and ready to collapse, the icy cold rain prickling her sensitive skin through her tattered clothes, which were soaking wet and clinging to her small form like paperclips to a magnet.

Her long, crystal blue hair had long-since been whipped from its ponytail and now flew wildly in the wind like the fiery mane of a majestic Rapidash as she ran. But she felt anything but majestic now… She stopped to catch her breath, leaning heavily against the withered old trunk of an ancient looking tree and bending over, panting in quick shallow breaths. Her physical strength had abandoned her some time ago and she was now running on pure adrenaline alone, but she was determined not to give up until she found a safe shelter to hide and wait out the storm.

'_You would think…finding a safe place to rest wouldn't be so hard in a forest as big as this one…but with those goons around…no where's really safe…' _she thought frantically.

_Safe…_ The word reverberated inside her head, bouncing off the mental walls of her mind, and suddenly, with wide panicked eyes, she reached into her front pants' pocket to make sure the stolen treasure she'd managed to secure before fleeing the lab was still there and had not fallen out during the chase.

Breathing with a heavy and audible sigh of relief when her cold fingertips brushed again the smooth surface, her heart slowed down to a semi-normal rate, satisfied that the small sphere was still in place where she'd stored it. Suddenly, the sound of voices shouting to each other could be heard from not too far away, and she was back up and running in less than a second.

Her heart pounded in her chest, her breathing was fast and labored, her body was cold and numb, rain stung at it her face, and her hazy eyes held the frantic look of a poor, defenseless animal desperate to escape from a hungry predator. She ran even faster, trying to make up for lost time, memories of prodding needles, cold metal bars, sickeningly sterile rooms with clean white walls, and faceless men with clammy, strong hands wearing white lab coats pushing her forward.

Every step she took seemed to cause her feet to stick to the ground as if she was being dragged down by quicksand, and she could hear the sound of her own thundering heartbeat as she ran, which almost seemed to drown out the chaos of the storm around her. Heavy footsteps that weren't her own made her mind race to keep up with her body and raw fear made it seem like the sounds coming from behind her were so close, she could _feel _as well as hear the hot, rancid breath of her pursuers at the back of her neck.

A sharp jolt of lightning whizzed by her face, and tore through the brush, striking a large tree a few short feet away. A startled scream escaped her already raw throat, making it feel that much worse as she clumsily stumbled back, away from the tall tree as it came crashing down towards the ground with a loud boom that seemed to shake the whole forest. The loud clap of thunder that followed was so loud, she could've sworn she'd permanently lost her hearing…that was, if she couldn't hear the strange growling noises coming from behind her…all too familiar noises.

She whirled around with wide, frightened eyes. No! It couldn't be…!

But the shadowy figures illuminated by another unnatural flash of lightning told her it was so. They had found her…Soon two fearsome creatures stood in front of and behind her, blocking both ways out of the clearing, daring her to try and move from her spot.

Carefully, she took a step forward, a harsh look and a spark of electricity aimed in her direction causing her to freeze in place again. The menacing yellow creature with two nubby antenna-like things on its head and bead dark eyes, covered all over in black stripes…It was an Electivire belonging to Team Galactic's research center, she knew.

A sharp growl distracted her from the danger ahead, and caused her to focus on the demonic-looking black dog-like creature just behind her. Two curving ivory horns jutting out from its sleek hound head, long fangs protruding from its narrow muzzle, a dark red underbelly, white bands around its feet and the skull like plate on its neck made it look all the more dangerous and aggressive. This was a Houndoom, a scary, devilish Pokémon with the fierce instincts of a merciless predator flowing through its veins.

It snarled, snapping at her wrist, causing her to cry out as she tripped over another rock and twisted her ankle on the way down, crumbling into a pitiful heap and whimpering helplessly as she lay in the mud waiting for the end to come. She noticed, lying there on her side, that the small orb she'd been carrying had slipped from her pocket, rolling to a stop a few mere inches from her feeble fingertips, just out of reach.

"N-No…" she whimpered hoarsely as she attempted to stretch her hand out in a weak effort to reclaim her stolen prize, only to have it be nudged further away by the sadistic hellhound standing before her. She managed to lift her gaze up to see the two Pokémon leering down at her and looking as if they were preparing to unleash a combined assault. "P-Please…please…don't…" she whispered, struggling for air, though it seemed as if her pleas fell on deaf ears.

She closed her eyes, a lone tear slipping down from her shut lids as she prepared for what was sure to be her end. Without realizing it, she began to shake with quiet heart-wrenching sobs as she had an emotional breakdown right then and there.

'_S-So close…I was so close to freedom. I finally escaped from that hellhole after all these years and I blew it…my one chance to breath fresh air, feel warm spring sunshine, reconnect with the rest of the world…gone, just like that.' _

She sniffled, her sobs becoming more violent and her trembling increasing as she began to think of all she'd lost to the dreaded organization she would soon be dragged back to. '_A-And…what's worse, when Jasper finds out…he's…he's going to…' _She shuddered miserably at the thought.

No, this wasn't her first time ever trying to escape. There'd been plenty of other attempts over the years, all ending in failure. Until now, this was the closest she had ever gotten to actually fleeing Team Galactic's secret underground base and putting the awful tragedies of the past behind her.

But they'd found her, just like she knew they would, deep down. Just like the evil voice lurking at the back of her mind, feeding off all her fears and doubts and haunting the eerie realms of her worst nightmares, kept taunting over and over again. "_**You see, foolish girl, it's just like I've been telling you all along. Try as you might to deny it, to run away from it, you cannot escape your fate, cruel as it may be. You are destined to spend a lifetime suffering in the darkness, all alone. So you might as well succumb to the truth and allow the shadows to claim your dwindling mind, because there is no way out of this never-ending nightmare.**"_

'No_…NO! You're wrong! As long as I have hope there will always be a way to the light_.' She tried to fight back, to struggle against the death-like chokehold the terrible shadow creatures had over her.

**"_So…you are determined to fight it until the bitter end, eh? Very well, then... We shall see how long you can hold out before the strain makes you completely lose all control. Watching your sanity chip away, little by little, bit by bit as you flounder to break away from the unavoidable outcome…this should be fun. Let the games begin…"_**

The dark voice faded from her mind and she screamed out loud as she began to spiral towards oblivion, the agonizing cry seeming to drown out even the mighty roar of thunder overhead, if possible. There was a flash of light, and then a swishing sound like the rushing wind, as two shadowy figures leap through the air, landing between the Pokémon and the weakened girl.

The two teams stared each other right in the eyes as they prepared to face off. The Houndoom blew out a small cloud of smoke, before giving off a very threatening warning growl. The Electivire following up with a few sparks from its tiny nubs of antennas.

However, the opposing Pokémon— a tall being with the slender shape of a female human and the elegant poise of a skilled dancer, along with a floating form that seemed like nothing more than a small grey sheet with a single bump of a horn on top of its head and glittering sapphire eyes— continued to hold their ground, looking unfazed.

The Electric-type growled impatiently, a flash of annoyance lighting up its beady eyes, "_Move aside you meddlers! We have been instructed by our masters to retrieve that girl and if you continue to stand in our way, you will regret it!" _it snarled.

"_Humph! You've got some nerve, stranger! Trespassing in __our__ territory and then making demands like you run the place…If you don't leave now, you're the ones that are gonna be sorry! Right, Gardevoir?_" The floating grey Pokémon stuck out its long pink tongue at the other pair in defiance before turning to his companion for back up.

Standing tall, its bright ruby eyes still focused straight ahead, the Psychic Pokémon merely nodded once in response, lifting its thin arms up and closing its eyes in concentration. '_Yes…we don't take kindly to intruders…especially hostile ones that would attack humans and other Pokémon without proper cause…' _Came the soft, calm reply of her telepathic voice.

"_How do you know we don't have our reasons?_" the Houndoom growled lowly.

'_My psychic powers give me the ability to sense and read auras, the natural energy you emit. Each person or Pokémon's aura is unique to any other, and by reading them, I can determine what kind of soul you have. I know that you are both cruel and wicked and that she has done nothing wrong to you. So do as my comrade suggested and go now, before more trouble ensues for you…_' As she said this, her eyes opened, glowing a hazy blue, and a glowing ball of bright white energy began to form in her hands; before they could prepare themselves, it was fired at them with a tremendous amount of force that seemed to shake the whole forest.

They stood back— much farther from the girl than they had been before—staring down at the large crater the powerful blast had created in the forest floor. The Dark/Fire-type growled in frustration and the Electric-type simply stared with widened eyes.

"_Argh…it's no use. They're just too powerful, and we've expanded too much of our energy chasing after that brat all day. In our conditions, there's no way we'd be able to take them now…we'll have to retreat._" the Houndoom declared grudgingly.

The Electivire nodded, not feeling regretful in the least, though the thought of what punishment awaited them back at Team Galactic's hidden base lingered briefly at the back of its mind, he followed after his partner's lithe form as it swiftly darted off into the underbrush as fast as his shorter, stubbier legs would allow him to go.

"_But just because you've won today don't think this is over…We'll be back to capture that girl again soon, and we will have our revenge! You can count on it!_" The dark message echoed through the forest in an eerie howl as the last signs of the terrible twosome disappeared deep into the forest.

"_Yeah, whatever... You can come back any day of the week…we'd be happy to hand your sorry butts to you as often as you want!_" the little gray Ghost-Pokémon known as Shuppet called after them, sticking out his tongue mockingly.

However, his comrade's attention had already been diverged from the now long gone duo, as she focused on the badly wounded girl they'd left in their wake instead. Floating forward so her graceful form towered over the human girl's lying completely passed out on the ground, she studied her features carefully, noticing just how bad her condition truly was.

Her clothes were worn and ragged, the dampness of the rain allowing her clammy looking skin to become visible as her shirt was made all but transparent. She looked very thin, and one could almost count the ribs protruding from her sides; her body slowly rose and fell as it was wracked by miserable shudders and labored breaths.

It was obvious to the Gardevoir that she was very sickly, and hadn't been given the proper nutrients she needed to stay healthy, even before the chase that had led her to their domain had begun. She could only imagine what the poor girl must've endured for her to end up in such a state. She knew that whoever owned the Pokémon that were chasing after her when they stumbled across them must also be the ones responsible for this girl's suffering and she shook her head at the thought.

It saddened her greatly to think such cruel and heartless people and Pokémon could exist in such a peaceful vibrant world where humans and Pokémon were meant to play and work together, getting along and living side by side in harmony…but to do something so despicable to their own kind…it was heart-breaking, to say the least.

"So how's she doing?" her companion asked as he suddenly appeared beside her, the way most ghost-types tended to do.

In one fluid motion, the Gardevoir moved forward and placed one long arm on the girl's clammy forehead, using her psychic abilities to read her vital signs. She pulled back after only a few moments, shaking her mead grimly from side to side.

'_She is very weak and must be treated quickly if she is to have any chance of survival…' _the Psychic-type responded.

The two Pokémon slowly made their way to the dark, dismal looking mansion situated at the top of the hill, the taller of the two still holding the unconscious girl gently in her thin arms.

It was still and dark even as they slid through the gates, Gardevoir along with some help from her ghostly companion using the combined efforts of their powers to make the girl's body slide through the thick iron bars of the gates. Once inside, they slid through the door in the same manner, and into the mansion's corridor's, the only light in the halls provided by a set of dim, flickering candles mounted on the walls.

"Gardevoir…Shuppet…why were you gone so long? It shouldn't have taken that long to go to the next town and shop for groceries, even in this weather," said a quiet, somewhat dark voice somewhere from the shadows.

"I apologize for the delay, Master, but we encountered some intruders in pursuit of a young human girl on our way back, and had to drive them away." Gardevoir explained delicately, giving a small curtsy the best she could as she continued to support the girl in her arms.

"…_Intruders_? …This far into the forest? I see…then I'll have to put up new safety barriers to dispel any unwanted visitors who dare trespass on my fortress, starting tomorrow, as soon as the rain lifts. Now, have you finished restocking our food reserves yet?"

The Shuppet shuffled nervously in midair, while the Gardevoir simply closed her eyes in preparation for the reaction she knew was to come.

"…We did obtain the supplies as you instructed, Master, but they were lost during the trek back when we encountered the intruders…we did, however, rescue the girl, as she was badly injured and too weak to defend herself,"

There was a long silence as the tension in the air became tangible, before two glittering ruby orbs glared at them from the darkness, narrowing darkly into a look of deep malice when he noticed the sleeping girl in the Psychic Pokémon's arms.

"WHAT? YOU DARE TO COME BACK HERE, NOT ONLY HAVING DEFIED MY ORDERS BY FAILING TO RETURN WITH FOOD AS I'D COMMANDED, BUT ALSO WITH…THIS…THIS GIRL IN TOW!" he spat out in pure rage, his ruby eyes glowing menacingly as he stood, the lights flashing, pictures and objects being torn from walls and flung around the room as if by some eerie supernatural force as his anger continued to build.

Shuppet winced as a lamp passed right through his transparent body and smashed into tiny shards as it collided with the wall behind him. Even though the fact that he was a ghost-type made him impervious to almost any and all physical attacks or the damage they'd normally cause, he had never before seen his master worked up into such a rage, the anger of the bitter maelstrom he had caused using his own psychic powers hurting more than any shattered lamp ever could.

Gardevoir closed her eyes, a bright blue light emanating from her whole being and shielding her as well as the unconscious girl still dangling limply from her arms from any serious damage. But the pain of her master's explosive emotions still took its toll on her all the same, causing her to feel the most agonizing pain she had ever experienced in her life as it felt as if all the air was being forced from her lungs by a heavy invisible foot pressed tightly against her throat.

"OUT, I WANT HER OUT, NOW!" he bellowed, objects still flying wildly around the room in a tornado-like spiral, his negative psychic energy drawing them all together like a magnet and forcing them to become mobile.

'Master, please listen! I know how you feel about humans, and I know all the things you've experienced in your encounters with them in the past have left you resentful and hesitant to trust…but I see something different about this girl's aura. She isn't like all the others. She has something inside her…something that marks her as being distinctly out of place, just like us. I know you can sense it too if you just allow yourself to calm down and think rationally for a minute. Clear your heart and mind of all the negative thoughts and emotions…please, I'm begging you."

She smiled softly. Though the rest of the outside world may forever see him as a cold, aloof loner who was incapable of caring for anyone but himself, she knew otherwise. He acted antisocial and withdrawn, but it was only to keep from exposing his inner nature for fear it might be exploited or used against him again.

He was never truly cold-hearted or evil. He had once been a happy, friendly young boy, living with his parents in the far away Hoenne region as part of a traveling circus that stopped to perform shows around various parts of the country.

In fact, it was he that had rescued her as a small child when she was still a young Ralts, fending for herself, after being abandoned by her former master on the cold streets. After saving her from a hungry pack of wild Mightyena, even at the cost of being bitten and badly injuring his arm in the process, he had brought her home and managed to nurse her back to health, and in return, she had been by his side ever since.

But ever since being shunned and abandoned by society, he had closed off into himself, communicating only with his Pokémon, the only ones who had loyally remained by his side and had never judged him for his odd and unique abilities or turned against him.

Gardevoir knew that a small part of the cheerful little boy from before was still there somewhere, hidden deep down inside by all the anger and turmoil taking place within, but she was determined to unlock it once again, and something told her this mysterious girl, a fellow misfit, might just be the key that unlocked all the answers.


End file.
